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SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. – Resting up at his rental home a few miles from Shinnecock Hills, with his afternoon tee time still hours away, Graeme McDowell faced a dilemma.
As a U.S. Open champion, he is plenty familiar with the rigors and demands of a USGA setup. But even he had heard whispers of the carnage sweeping across eastern Long Island in the early morning hours Thursday, and he had to decide whether or not to turn on the television to watch it.
“Part of me was thinking, like, is it better to get punched in the face by surprise, or is it actually better to be prepared to be punched in the face?